Hopeful
by Rabid Lola
Summary: History repeats itself, strangely, and Kazuki discovers that Ren is oblivious, but hopeful. KazukixRen


_**Hopeful **_

_A Kazuki/Ren fanfic by Rabid Lola _

**Disclaimer: **_Get Backers is not mine. Plotless story is. _

…**---…**

"Don't die," she had told him softly, after the first time they'd met. A worshipper to her hero, concerned for his safety.

"Don't die," she hissed harshly now, as she ripped his bloodstained shirt off; the pounding of her heart when she saw the wounds and bruises covering his body seemed to drown out her words.

At the other side of the room, her grandfather was tending to Juubei of the Flying Needles, who was not as hurt, but still in danger. At eighteen she was a capable medic, precise in her actions and quicker than her grandfather, for he was getting old. He could trust her to care for the patient who was at greater risk.

Juubei had turned up at their door, with only the energy to ring the bell once before collapsing. He had been carrying the unconscious Kazuki on his back, and until now neither Ren nor her grandfather knew what had happened.

At a passing glance, she had thought Kazuki was dead…

She yanked a syringe out of his thigh: small wonder his skin had been so clammy, hot from a poison-induced fever. The tube was as large as her little finger, and completely empty. Aside from medicine to stabilize him, she'd need antidote for the poison and something to bring down the fever…

With one hand she snatched a towel from a bowl of cold water beside her and slapped it onto his bloody forehead…with the other she quickly selected from the cart three bottles of medicine that wouldn't react with each other. But the man was in no condition to swallow. She took the first medicine carefully in her mouth and bent over.

As she pressed her mouth to his and forced the medicine in, some detached part of her mind noted how familiar the situation was…

She did the same to the second medicine, and the third. On the third try she felt his lips move weakly, as if he were trying to speak: stubbornly, she made him swallow before she released him, immediately grabbing another towel to wipe and staunch the blood all over his body.

A hacking cough, and a faint, hoarse voice. "Ren-san?"

She paused in her movements, only to pin him with her stare, a brilliant, burning blue. "If you dare die, Fuuchoin Kazuki," she told him quietly. "I will personally make sure your last moments are painful."

…**---…**

She steadied him as he vomited, wiping his face when he was done. "Don't heave too much, the wounds I stitched up might open."

The man groaned. "I can hardly…help it."

She pushed him down gently. "It's the effect of the poison. Lie _down_." She continued staunching and stitching shut the wounds. "You've got several broken ribs…" she shook her head, trying to keep lightness in her voice and tears out of her eyes. "You idiot."

He was in no condition to answer, for he was fading fast.

…**---…**

A paper was slipped into Gen's hand.

_Jii-chan, don't say anything, I don't want to worry Kakei-san. But if you're finished with him, please help me, because if the blood loss doesn't kill Kazuki, the poison will. _

True to his word, the man didn't react. He finished fixing the last of Juubei's injuries—a broken arm—and stood, leaving the samurai-doctor unconscious and blissfully unaware.

…**---…**

Gen appeared quietly at his granddaughter's side, watching as she treated the sole Fuuchoin heir for severe concussion.

"My God, how many injuries does he have?" the pharmacist asked quietly.

"Broken ribs, six large wounds that needed stitches, numerous cuts and bruises, severe concussion and head wound, high fever from a deadly poison…I'm only surprised he isn't hemorrhaging." Ren's knit eyebrows belied her deceivingly calm tone, and her grandfather knew her well enough to hear the slight flatness in her voice.

He knew how much she cared for the man…

"Jiichan." Her eyes were on him now, an expression akin to pleading in them. "The poison is now the gravest danger. But we can't drain it out, because he's lost too much blood…"

Gen sat down beside her. "Ren, go get the spare blood. Make sure it's his type."

Nodding, she stood, left, and was back in minutes. Gen looked up and nodded, setting up needles, tubes, and a basin. Slowly, they began the delicate task of transfusing blood into Kazuki and letting the poison out.

…**---…**

"Jiichan, his heart is beating too fast!" The whisper wasn't loud, but he still heard it. His remaining senses were sharper due to his blindness, after all.

But Juubei knew better than to move around in a hospital—or something like it—when he couldn't see. Instead, he spoke as he carefully sat up. "What's happening?"

He could practically _see _the girl freeze, and he heard clearly the strangled note in her voice as she said, "Kakei-san?"

Carefully, because his body still hurt, he swung his legs over the edge of the bed. "What's wrong with Kazuki?"

Silence greeted his question, and he could sense the girl and her grandfather looking at each other. "He's not doing very well," the pharmacist's low, gravelly voice said.

"I know," Juubei replied softly, which was his way of showing worry. "What are his injuries?"

"Too many, the imbecile," the female voice snapped, and Juubei almost smiled. The girl definitely had a lot of spirit.

"Ren!" her grandfather admonished. His tone was stern. "Concentrate on the _patient. _A good medic doesn't let emotions hinder her." The voice then aimed itself at the blind man. "Kakei-san, I'm afraid I'll have to tell you later, when we finish with him. Get into that bed." Gen's voice now held the command of steel. "You won't do yourself or Kazuki any good if you don't rest."

Juubei moved, but on one condition. "Tell me if he needs help."

…**---…**

They had done all they could, and now all they could do was wait.

Gen was out responding to another emergency call, and Ren was sitting beside Kazuki's bed, watching the barely discernible rise and fall of his bandaged chest. She touched his hand gently, hesitantly laying hers over it. A tender gesture she would never have shown if he were awake, because she was not a gentle person. She was bright, spitfire, tomboy Ren, who worried about nothing yet cared about everything.

Laying her head on the cool sheets, she let out a soft, trembling breath.

A voice spoke overhead. "Are you all right?"

She jerked up and hastily took her hand away from Kazuki's. She hadn't known Kakei Juubei could move so quietly.

The man stood silently by the hospital bed, one arm bound in a sling, the other hand on Kazuki's bandaged head. His own head was cocked, as if listening for something. But she knew his words had been directed to her.

"Will he make it?" Where had that question come from? How could she know he knew the answer?

A small smile slipped over the samurai's face, and he turned his head to her. "Thanks to you, I think he has a chance."

"What happened, anyway?" she asked, face darkening. _If it was something stupid again…_

"We went to Beltline," Juubei said calmly, and he ignored Ren's gasp. "He had some business there, apparently. He must have been double-crossed, because we were attacked."

Her hands clutched at the sheets. "He _is _an idiot." Then she eyed him concernedly. "But Kakei-san, you carried him all the way here?"

"Don't worry about me," the man replied. "I'm fine." He leaned across the bed. "May I try something?"

She shrugged, thinking he was referring to Kazuki. "Be my guest."

She was startled to find his fingers traveling gently over her face. "Gah!"

"I'm blind, as you know," the man said, a little apologetically. "And even if I met you some years before, I don't know what kind of person you are."

"O-oh," she stuttered. Funnily enough, she didn't mind his touch. It was inquiring, but not invading; polite and impersonal, nothing more.

"Kakei-san?"

"Hm." Juubei cocked his head. Another ghostly smile touched his face. "Interesting. Kazuki does need someone like you."

Ren blushed, and she was sure he could feel the heat under his fingers.

If he did, he politely chose not to comment.

…**---…**

It was dark, dark and cold. A searing pain shot through his body, and he gasped as it throbbed in him, red-hot and intense. A hand touched his head gently, calming and soothing him. Familiar… "Juubei?"

"I'm here," his friend said calmly. Slowly, laboriously, Kazuki was able to pry his eyes open, and he saw the other standing just above him, head turned in his direction. If Juubei's eyes had been functioning properly, he would have been glaring at his prostrate charge.

"…Kazuki, when I promised to protect you, I expected to be given chances to _keep _that promise."

Kazuki grinned wearily up at him. "Juubei, you've done it too many times."

"Hm." The blind man gestured to Kazuki's other side. "Someone has been at your bedside for two and a half days straight, waiting for you to wake up."

Kazuki quizzically turned his head, and winced as more pain tingled through it. But he was not disappointed. "Is this the first time she's slept?" he whispered softly to Juubei.

"I'm not asleep," a drowsy, indignant voice said. Ren lifted her head from her arms, and the relief that swept over her face before she began glaring at him was sincere and thankful. She turned her head. "Jiichan! He's awake!"

"Good!" a gruff voice came. "I'll bring something for him to eat, in a while."

Kazuki winced as the irate girl turned back to him. Her face softened a little at his pleading look. "Kazuki-kun, you really should take better care of yourself. You're lucky you're injured right now, because if you weren't…"

"If you hurt him, Ren-san, I would be forced to make you answer for it," Juubei put in mildly. Kazuki cocked his head, eyes trying to probe his deadpan friend. That hadn't sounded serious, but still, another meaning seemed to be under it…

Ren's eyes glowed with sudden warmth as she looked at the blind man, and a grin stretched over her face. "That was just a joke, Kakei-san," she said lightly. "Of course I never would."

Kazuki nearly blushed at this, but he concentrated more on wondering…What had happened while he was unconscious?

…**---…**

Wounds healed exceptionally fast in Mugenjou, as nearly everyone knew. Four days after Juubei had dragged the two of them to the door of the pharmacy, Kazuki was well enough to be discharged and go home. Juubei had gone back to MakubeX the day before, something Kazuki was surprised at. The samurai doctor usually never left his side.

But as he bound his hair now, fastening the bells to the bindings and straightening his rumpled clothing, he recalled something his friend had said before he left.

"_She's a strange one, that pharmacist girl," Juubei was carefully slipping on his shirt, wincing as he moved the broken arm. _

"_Oh?" Kazuki said innocently, from where he was lying down. _

"_You should know more than I, you're the one who's been visiting her these past five years." Juubei's sharp ears easily caught the other man's startled intake of breath, and he had to grin. "She's oblivious, though. Oblivious…but hopeful."_

"_Hopeful?" _

_Juubei turned to go. "Aa. Hopeful." He waved his good hand. "Ja, Kazuki. Take care of yourself, and drop by before you go home." _

Hopeful…

Ren pushed her head through the doorway. "Are you decent?"

He smiled at her, and ignored the way his heart seemed to speed up a little. "Hai. Ren, thank you. I owe you my life."

He thought he saw her flush before she jokingly replied, "Yes, you do. Twice over." She stuck her hand out to help him out of bed. "Before you leave, let's have something to eat. Up, lazybones."

He laughed. "Ren!"

…**---…**

She bid him goodbye, leaning against the doorframe as he exited the house. "When will you drop by again?"

"Tomorrow, probably."

She was startled. "What? So soon?"

"You don't want to see me?" he teased.

She grinned. "I'm worried about your injuries."

He waved a dismissive hand. "I'll be fine." Then, before he could lose his nerve, he blurted out, "Ren, what did you and Juubei talk about while I was unconscious?"

Her head jerked up a little before she looked away and said in a voice that tried hard to be casual. "Nothing much, Kazuki. Kun." She winced at the noticeable pause before the suffix, and shifted uncomfortably under his gaze. She felt her face heat up as she recalled what Juubei had said…

_He does need someone like you. _

There was a silence, then a soft, "Ren."

She expelled a nervous breath, then turned to him…and she was startled to feel a hand slip under her chin, cradling it as lips brushed lightly over her own. At her surprised sound, Kazuki pulled away, red in the face. He grinned at her, then he was gone.

Ren unconsciously lifted a hand to her lips, and stared after him.

_What…just happened? _

…**---…**

"Ren?" His voice echoed hesitantly through the pharmacy, as he opened the door. He hadn't been so sure of visiting today….after what he'd done yesterday…

There was a gasp and a tinkle of breaking glass. Alarmed, he dashed to the doorway of the sickroom, to find her standing over the ruins of a medicine bottle. She groaned. "Jiichan's going to kill me."

"Are you hurt?"

She looked up quickly and ducked her head almost immediately after, bending to sweep up the glass. "No."

He stooped to help her, and there was a silence as they cleaned up the spilled medicine and glass. Suddenly, he said, "I'm sorry if I startled you."

She shook her head, thick hair brushing her shoulders. "No, it's all right…" Then her hands stilled, and she looked up curiously. "Wait, do you mean for today, or yesterday?"

He had to smile. "Straightforward, as always."

She rolled her eyes. "Kazuki…"

"Both," he interrupted, and stood to dump the shards into the trashcan. When he turned, she was sitting back on her heels, staring at her hands. "Ren?"

She said nothing, for a while, then a blush stained her cheeks as she said, "You're forgiven."

Another smile crossed his face, and a warmth filled his chest. He crossed to her and offered her a hand. "Thank you."

She took it and pulled herself up…and to his surprise leaned forward and kissed him softly on the cheek. Then, she yanked playfully at his hair, hard. "I might not forgive you for nearly getting yourself killed. You're still and idiot for that."

"Ow! Hey!"

She laughed and escaped quickly, dumping the rag she was holding into a sink on her way out.

He caught her, though, before she reached the door.

**…****--EnD--…  
**  
_Yes, fluuuuff. That's one of the last GB fics I have...the amount is_******dwindling...****  
**


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